


Vade mecum, amice!

by Homo_Vulcanensis



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: (mostly) historically acurate, 45 AD, Finished Story, M/M, Roman AU, Roman Britain, Self-Indulgent, includes "art", stoicism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-05
Updated: 2021-01-05
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:41:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,431
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28217118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Homo_Vulcanensis/pseuds/Homo_Vulcanensis
Summary: Britannia, 45 AD: Centurio James Tiberius Kirk is lost during a battle. Will his "family" be able to retrieve him?This is a story that tries to go as far away from Hollywood narrative as humanly possible, while presenting to you my passion for pottery and Roman food (and Star Trek, of course).This is a Secret Santa gift for kittymaine. (Just imagine I put a pretty bow around it.)
Relationships: James T. Kirk & Spock & Nyota Uhura, James T. Kirk/Spock, Leonard "Bones" McCoy & Spock
Kudos: 7
Collections: To Boldly Gift: Fics 2020





	1. The Introduction

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kittymaine](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kittymaine/gifts).



> Dear kittymaine, after you have now opened the imaginary packaging, I have to confess to you that I have followed the age-old practice of getting something I like, and simply hoping that the giftee likes it too. You asked for Spones, but I bring you Spirk, because I simply couldn't write the other thing. It just doesn't float my boat, or paints my walls of imagination, or does my dishes (if you know what I mean). At least it has pointy ears in it? I just hope that Roman history is covered in your wish for 'anyhing really' :)
> 
> Sincerely yours
> 
> Homo_Vulcanensis (If you're seeing a pattern here, then I am unable to disagree.)

__

_It is the tenth day of the month of Februarius, in the year of the consulship of Vinicius and Corvius, during the reign of our Emperor Claudius Augustus. It has been almost two years since we have arrived at this island where the sun never seems to shine, and my men are becoming weary, whishing back the heat of Italia. I find myself concerned about the recent movements of the people that populate this island called Britannia, as this will certainly prolong our stay here._

“What’re you doing?”, the _medicus_ asked as soon as he had entered the _Centurio_ ’s tent. The _Centurio_ , a man named James Tiberius Kirk, looked up from his wooden writing tablet. “What do you think I am doing, Bones?”, he asked as he put the stylus away. “You are writing on your report again, aren’t you?”, Leonardus Macoiterius Bones replied, leaning against the wobbly field table. Kirk put his elbows on the table and placed his head in his hands. “What do you want?”, he asked the _medicus_. “You know perfectly well what I want. You have yet to appear in my _valetudinarium_ for your check-up. It’s the prefect’s orders.”, Bones replied, a bit sharper than he had intended. Kirk nodded. “Very well.”, he gave in. He stood from his chair and took his cloak from his nearby bed.

The outside was still as cold as earlier in the day. White mist evaporated from their mouths. Some of Kirk’s eighty men had made a fire in the middle of their space in the camp, and Kirk could see Nyota, his _liberta_ and good friend, putting even more wood on it. Between the people warming themselves, he could see Chekov, his _Dacian Signifier_ , and Sulu, his scout, who stemmed from _Asia minor_. A bit away from the group, but still near enough to enjoy the fire, sat his _Optio,_ the man directly under him in the chain of command, wearing his armor as usually, and tuning a strange-looking lyre, about to sing another part of the _odysseia_ to the bored legionaries. Differently than most of his legionaries, Spock was not born within the realms of the _Imperium Romanum_ , but had been sent to Rome as a hostage when he was a teenager, on behalf of being the son of a _Pannonian_ tribe leader. He was also the firmest Stoic Kirk had ever met, and probably the best-looking man too. ‘Like Apollo himself.’, Kirk often mused.

As Kirk and Bones passed them, Spock glanced at them, very softly. Kirk looked back, feeling very soft as well. Bones pulled Kirk with him. “You two lovebirds can talk later.”, he said, grumbling to himself. “Oh, come on Bones, just because your wife is back in Rome, doesn’t mean I am not allowed to have a little fun.”, Kirk protested. Bones looked to the sky. “Father Jupiter, please show mercy on myself.”, he murmured loudly enough for Kirk to hear. “Pff.”, Kirk replied, wrapping his coat around him a little tighter.

The _valetudinarium_ was lit by oil lamps. It was one of the only real buildings inside the camp, and therefore a little warmer. Kirk looked at the wounded as he and Bones walked along the beds. None of them were part of his _centuria_ , gladly, but were rather part of either the other the other _centuriae_ , or belonged to the _cohors_. They met Chapella on their way, who, due to her magnificent medical abilities had been allowed to join their campaign in _Britannia_. “Let us go over there.”, Bones said, and led Kirk to a niche that could be parted from the rest of the room by curtains. “First, I will have a look at your mouth”, Bones decided.

Spock leaned against Kirk, both sitting on Kirk’s field bed in his tent. “Has _medicus_ Macoiterius considered you healthy?”, Spock asked, wrapping himself into Kirk’s blanket a little tighter. Kirk took the two small bones in front of them and put them in a cup. “He has.” Kirk closed the cup with his hand and shook it. He put it down on the bed, with the underside looking upwards, and pulled it away. Both studied the way the _astragali_ had fallen. “It seems that you have won.”, Spock commented. “That’s one way to put it.”, Kirk laughed and pulled Spock after him towards the bed, one hand already under his _Optio_ ’s tunic.

All three of them, Kirk, Spock and Nyota, who had just returned from her visit with Chapella, were sitting on the tent’s floor, eating from Kirk’s nice Samian ware bowls. After he had ended his meal of lentil stew, Spock turned his bowl around and studied the imprinted decoration of the _acetabulum_. “You do not have anything like that in _Pannonia_ , do you?”, Nyota asked. Spock shook his head. “The notion that bowls need to be both practical and visually pleasing is a purely Roman concept.”, he replied. “It must be strange to live in a world that is so different to one’s childhood.”, Kirk mused. “Which one do you like better?”, he added as an afterthought. “There are advantages and drawbacks to both.”, Spock replied. He accepted the cup with spiced and diluted wine Kirk offered him. “To keep you warm in cold winter nights.”, Kirk explained, eyes not moving from Spock’s. Spock smiled lightly, while probably still retaining his stoic composure.

Spock had long returned to the tent, the _contubernia_ , which he shared with seven other legionaries, and Nyota had fallen asleep on her mat next to Kirk’s bed. Kirk, however, was still lying awake, staring at the tent’s leather roof. An uninvolved onlooker might have guessed that he was thinking about the way the war was going, but then they wouldn’t have known Kirk. In fact, Kirk was thinking about a completely different issue. His bed smelled like the issue. Spock would reach his twenty years of service in just another two years, and would be awarded the Roman citizenship in the process. Additionally, he would be given a piece of land to cultivate, and leave the army of course, maybe even marry a woman. Kirk still had five years left, being three years younger than his friend, and he was supposed to return to his father’s farm in _Italia_ after that. The chances were slim that he would see Spock ever again, and the thought pained him already. Maybe he should just give up on their relationship now, instead of waiting for the eventual heartbreak? Spock’s heart wouldn’t be broken, as a Stoic aimed not to be affected by his emotions. But maybe it did anyways? Kirk didn’t know what to do.

He was broken from his musings by the sound of several horns. This was the sign that their camp was under attack, and it made Kirk jump out of his bed. Nyota had already risen as well, scrambling to get his armor. It was only a few minutes until Kirk was ready to leave for battle. “Take this too.”, Nyota urged and offered him his canteen. “It is _posca_.”, she explained. Kirk took it, knowing that the water and vinegar mixture could come in handy. “Thank you.”, he said hastily.

When he left the tent, he proudly saw that his men were ready for action. Chekov and Spock stood in front of the rows, Chekov holding on tightly to the _signis_ , and Spock seemingly relaxed, _pilum_ in one, shield in the other hand. “Are the barbarians attacking?”, Chekov asked as soon as Kirk reached them. “It appears so, but I know as much as you at the moment.”

A messenger on a horse rode towards them, and skittered to a hold. “The _Legatus_ orders you to attack the barbarians at the camp’s east gate.”, he said to Kirk. Kirk barely managed to nod in understanding before the messenger was gone again. He turned to his men. “The barbarians decided to attack us. Let’s show them Rome’s true power.”, he shouted. His people howled.

His men marched towards the east gate. Spock walked next to his _Centurio_. “They will be prepared well if they dare to attack our camp.”, Spock remarked, astute as always. “That’s what I am afraid of.”, Kirk replied, lowly enough so his people couldn’t hear. “Shall we perform the wedge formation?”, Spock asked next, seemingly ignoring Kirk’s last words. Kirk nodded. “I shall lead the first, and you will lead the second.”, he decided. They reached the gate, and Kirk shouted his orders over the sound of a battle already underway.

Behind their wall of shields and _pila_ , Kirk and his men could barely see the enemy. “Forward!”, Kirk ordered nonetheless, knowing that the attacker must be somewhere in that direction. The Barbarians had chariots that didn’t look like the ones Kirk had seen in Rome, and their horses were trained to be unafraid of the Romans. Arrows hummed over the wedge, and a few of Kirk’s men were able to kill a Barbarian, throwing their _pila_ at them. Somebody attacked them at the wedge’s back, but Kirk’s men were able to fight back. Through a slid between two shields, Kirk could see that Spock’s wedge was holding up as well. Somebody next to Kirk screeched, and only now he realized that a chariot was driving towards them at full speed. They would never be able to withstand it. “Part!”, he screamed, and most men jumped aside, but two weren’t fast enough, their bodies crushed by the chariot’s wheels.

Seeing that their formation wasn’t the only one that had broken up, Kirk threw his _pilum_ at the next best Barbarian, hitting him squarely in the chest, and pulled out his _gladius_ , the sword he carried with him. Further and further, he moved into the enemies’ front, striking and clashing, letting out all the anger he felt at the weather, the Barbarians and their _Augustus_ , who had only started this war so he could have a triumphal procession. This was simply not fair to anybody. Something hit him in the side, the air was pressed out of him and he fell to his knees. He immediately urged himself to his feet, only to find that three barbarians had cornered him.

Was this the end? There must be a way! Kirk believed that there was always an alternative to everything.

A horse neighed behind him. If this was a chance, then Kirk was going to take it. He turned around and jumped onto the horse’s back. The animal must have broken free from a war chariot, as it obviously wasn’t a Roman horse. Kirk struggled hard to sit on the animal’s back, partly to the enormous speed of the horse, partly due to the _gladius_ and the shields in his hands. He let go of the slim piece of metal and used to shield to save himself from the strike of a Barbarian. It cracked and he let go of it. Finally, he managed to ride the animal properly. His side hurt. Was he already in the forest beyond the camp’s system of walls and mounts? It was really cold. And dark. It was cold and dark, and his side hurt. Maybe he should close his eyes, just for a moment? Kirk leaned against the horse’s neck.

He was somewhere else entirely, and the view quivered in front of him. It was a plain, only covered by some grass, the sun shining brightly onto the ground. An eagle screeched in the air. “Do you like it?”, Spock asked next to him. Kirk turned and saw that Spock was no longer wearing his armor, but what seemed like civilian clothing instead. He looked a bit like a barbarian in it. “Is this how your people dress?”, Kirk wondered absentmindedly, touching the cloth. Spock nodded.

Branches hit him in the face and pulled at his helmet. Kirk had time to wake up confused before there was a branch that was finally thick enough to slap him from his ever-moving seat. He fell backwards, his armor impacted with the wed forest floor. Pain flooded his whole body, and Kirk gave into it. Darkness surrounded him.

Spock returned to the camp, tired and spent. The sun was already about to rise over the trees, and the battle was won. But at what price? Spock mustered his men. Their numbers had been decimated, and many of those who weren’t missing or dead had sustained injuries that would keep them from performing their duties for a while. Chekov stumbled towards him. At least they hadn’t lost the eagle, which would have increased their shame. “Have you seen the _Centurio_?”, Chekov asked. Spock shook his head. “I have not.”, he said. A cold feeling crept up to his heart, and he rushed to accept and bury it under layers of restraint.


	2. The Barbarian's Village

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nyota and Spock leave the camp to find Kirk. Meanwhile, Kirk is left wondering about what is going to happen to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts I had while writing (assorted):  
> The ancient Brits being basically trogdolytes is proven to be Roman propaganda (they even had coins!). I feel like this just needs to be said at this point (Also, they're supposed to be dark-skinned with blue eyes, but I disgress).  
> Furthermore, the decision of making Uhura a freed slave has more to do with the fact that she is a woman in a military camp, then with the color of her skin. This was pretty much the most respectful option open to me.  
> I tried to write like the story could have been directly translated from Latin, and I made sure to use no ahistorical terms or 'yes' and 'no' (neither Latin nor Ancient Greek had that, crazy).  
> Homosexuality in antiquity is a rather fuzzy subject, certainly also due to the kind of people classical philologists used to be (see Sappho and her "friends"). Basically, we know that it existed in the Imperium Romanum, but also that there is no special term for it (Sueton the biographer for example just says "he had sex with both genders" and the like). Marriage as a legal construct could only be between people of different genders, mostly for reasons of inheritance. While seen as unromanly (greek), it was not really frowned upon either. I tried to reflect all this in the story.

Something woke Kirk from his unconsciousness. “Spock?”, he murmured, before stopping himself. A sound drifted towards his ears. An infant was crying. Kirk tried to sit up, but his armor kept him down. With shaky hands, he slowly opened the fastenings on his segmented chest armor. Like a grasshopper, he pulled himself from his iron shell. A laceration went over his side that had been hit. Kirk tried not to think too much of it. Instead, he also took off his helmet, feathers becoming dirty in the mud. Lightened like that, he finally stood, although vertigo threatened to send him to the ground. Where was he? All he could see was trees. Holding himself up against a stump, and wearing his cape a little tighter, he looked around some more.

Household items lay scattered around the leaves. While Kirk could recognize what they were, he could also see that were not Roman in origin. Had the barbarians tried to flee? Again, he heard the cries of an infant. Kirk might be a soldier, but he would always feel compassionate towards children. He stumbled in the direction the sound was coming from. He found a basket that was turned over and lifted it up. Under it, there was indeed a wrapped infant, red from the cold and seemingly half dead already. He picked it up and held it in his arms. “Have you been lost?”, he asked, not expecting an answer. The child cried again, and he wobbled a bit in an effort to calm it. “Let us find your mother, alright?”

Kirk had to admit that he felt rather exposed, devoid of his weapons and armor, and also wounded. Nonetheless, he trudged forwards through the mud, mainly because it gave him something to do. He didn’t know where he was going, and hoped that he would eventually pass a landmark of some kind.

Sometimes, he heard something hush through the leaves, thinking that it must be animals. Before he knew, he was surrounded by barbarians. They had spears and knives, and Kirk had an infant. The one that seemed to lead the group growled and said something to him. It was obviously the native Celtic, and Kirk didn’t understand a word. He decided to say nothing. Maybe they didn’t want to kill him just now? Otherwise, they would have surely done it already. One used their spear to lift up the cloth covering the infant. They said something to the leading figure, seemingly surprised, but on the other hand, that could have just been intonation.

One of the soldiers took the child from him, wrapping it in his own checkered cloak. The one that seemed like the leader of the group took Kirk by the arm and pulled him forwards. “Come.”, he said in almost intelligible Latin. It was now that Kirk realized that the barbarians were maybe not as terrible as he had been told.

Spock stirred the mass from barley and honey that was in his pot. “What are you doing? How can you be cooking now?”, Macoiterius wondered next to him. Spock looked up, not revealing that he had been startled. “I am preparing a gift to the god.”, he stated. “Of barley stew?”, Macoiterius asked critically. “I am a vegetarian. Besides, I am unable to afford an animal for slaughter.”, Spock explained. “I see.”, the other replied. “You want to go and search for Kirk?”, he added. Spock nodded. “Will you accompany me to the _principia_?”, he asked.

Having filled his meal into a bowl, Spock crossed the camp, Macoiterius in tow. In the broad daylight, it looked not as bad as it had just after the battle. “I presume you will not be able to accompany on my search?”, Spock suddenly asked. “No, there are too many patients.”

They entered the _principia_ , a simple building made out of wood. They passed the inner courtyard in silence and entered the _aedes_ , which was basically a small temple. This was the place the _signa_ and the legion’s cashbox was kept. Macoiterius just stood there as Spock made a deal with Fortuna, who he wanted him to help find Kirk and return safely with him. Finally, he put the bowl down on the wooden platform and stepped back.

“I shall leave now.”, Spock said after they had left the _principia_. Macoiterius was silent for a moment. “Promise me something. Please come back.”, he said. Spock raised an eyebrow. “This is indeed my intention.”, he replied. “You know what I mean.”, Macoiterius spoke and hugged Spock before he could do anything against it.

Spock closed the last piece of his armor and took hold of his shield. He had never done such a thing, to leave the camp alone and without order, and he felt slight discomfort at the thought of the possible consequences. He would be disciplined, but Kirk was worth it. It was the thing the great _logos_ that engulfed everything wanted him to do. He took a deep breath and marched away from his tent, ignoring the stares of the other legionaries. Earlier, he had seen that the east gate was not guarded, possibly due to the fact that there weren’t enough healthy legionaries around.

He had almost reached the gate, when somebody ran up to him. It was Nyota. “I am coming with you.”, she said when he raised an eyebrow. Nyota had dressed herself in two capes, one obviously taken from Kirk’s belongings, and a bag full of supplies hang from her side. “I cannot ask you to do this.”, Spock said. “You do not have to. I might be a _liberta_ , but that doesn’t mean that I do not feel loyal towards Kirk.”, she replied. “Let us go before we are spotted and held back.”, she added.

The small group of Kirk and the barbarians left the forest and entered the openness off their fields. At this time of the year, the fields were barren and frozen over, a few crows argued about what had been left of the winter’s harvest. Kirk’s side throbbed, and he pulled his cloak tighter around him.

The forest was dark. Subconsciously, both moved a little nearer to each other. “Do you have an idea where he could have gone?”, Nyota asked. “I must admit that I have lost sight of him during the battle.”, Spock replied, readjusting his shield. “And you are sure he is still alive?”, Nyota questioned further. “I am certain of it.”, Spock stated. “Whatever you say.”, Nyota replied.

They decided to go eastwards, for no particular reason but that the under-bushes were less thorny in that direction. “There is something we must speak about.”, Nyota said after a long while of companiable silence. Spock raised a questioning eyebrow. “I know that you like Kirk very much.”, Nyota opened. “I do.”, Spock replied. “I am planning on marrying him, once his duty is over.”, Nyota said. Even though Spock had never thought about this being an option for himself too, it still felt like a slap to the face. “I understand.”, Spock replied, just not to stay silent. “You must also understand that I am not doing this because of love. This is my only chance at having a life with everything that is commonly deemed necessary.” They were silent for some more. “But I do not wish to hurt anybody’s feelings just for my own good. I believe we can arrange something to everyone’s merit.”, she finally continued. Spock turned to her, surprise in his eyes. “I believe that I would not be averse to this idea.”, he said. “How are you with children?”, Nyota asked, and Spock’s eyes widened. “I believe it is too soon for this conversation.”, he replied carefully, and Nyota laughed loudly.

The barbarians led Kirk to their village, which had a remarkable number of round houses, and a rampart around it that seemed more ritual than practical. As they entered, everyone stopped what they were doing to turn and stare at the Roman in their camp. Kirk felt very uncomfortable. He was led into the middle of the village. There, several carriages stood, with people around them. It looked like they had put all of their household items onto them. The barbarian with the child walked over to a woman. He said something to her and gave her the infant. Before Kirk could see her reaction, he was led away and into one of the houses.

The inside was dark and full of smoke, and it made Kirk cough and it burned in his eyes. When he could see again properly, he realized that he was sitting on a mat in the middle of the one-room house. Around him a was a scene that reminded him of the home of Kirke, the sorceress that turned Odysseus’ crew into pigs. A man of undeterminable age stared down at him. All the other barbarians except the leader had stayed outside. The new man said something to the leader. The other crouched down and looked at Kirk. “Scotty.”, he said and pointed at himself. Kirk assumed that this was his name. “Scottiea?”, he tried, and the man nodded. “I am James Tiberius Kirk.”, Kirk said, and pointed to himself like the other had done. Scotty looked at him in confusion. Kirk tried again. “Kirk.”, he said. Now the other seemed to understand.

“I do not think that we are walking in the correct direction.”, Nyota said. “What makes you believe that?”, Spock wondered. “We are still in the middle of the forest. If Kirk has any ounce of sense, he will try to find the way back on his own. He will therefore search for anything that is even mildly recognizable.”, she explained. “I would believe so.”, Spock agreed. They stopped and looked around. “There is a hill over there, maybe we will see more from up there?”, Spock suggested.

The man who apparently lived in this house was some sort of _medicus_. He covered Kirk’s wound in a black and sticky liquid. Kirk had had worse by Macoiterius and endured. His eyes wandered to Scotty, who leaned against the wall near the entrance, one hand lying on his sword. But Kirk knew perfectly well that he couldn’t escape, not in his current state. He had to rely on diplomacy, it seemed. When the _medicus_ had finished, Kirk took the bottle of _posca_ from his belt and took a swig. When the medicus looked at him questioning, Kirk offered the bottle to him. “Do you want to try as well?”, he asked. Carefully, the other took the bottle and a careful sip. His eyes widened and he looked at Kirk in wonder. “I presume that you do not have vinegar around here.”, Kirk translated for himself, but of course he couldn’t be understood.

Nyota and Spock were overlooking the forest around them. “Look!”, Nyota suddenly shouted, and Spock had to hurry to keep up with her. She stopped, and Spock realized in wonder that they were standing next to Kirk’s armor. “At least we now know that we are on the right track. And that he isn’t dead.”, Nyota summarized. “But where should we go next?”, Spock asked. Nyota smiled and pointed to the footsteps that had imprinted themselves on the muddy surface of the forest floor. “Indeed.”, Spock replied.

Kirk was leaning on the ground, looking at the fire. He didn’t know what to think about the barbarians. They hadn’t attempted to kill him, but on the other hand, they hadn’t let him go either. What was it that they wanted from him? The _medicus_ had stared at him for the last half-hour at least. At first, Kirk had felt uneasy, now he was just wondering if he maybe could get something to eat. Quite suddenly, he _medicus_ stopped staring, and left the house. Kirk looked after him in confusion.

Spock was marching the fastest he had ever, and Nyota half-walked half-ran after him. Quite unexpectedly, the forest around them disappeared, leaving them in the openness of the fields. The prints of Roman _caliga_ lost themselves on the gravel that formed a road before them. “I would presume that he is to be found in the village.”, Spock thought loudly. “We should try to investigate first.”, Nyota said. “I agree.”, Spock replied.

Spock had been persuaded to hide the shield for the moment. Together, they inched forward through a strangely silent village. They had already passed the rampart and were kneeling behind one of the round houses. “Listen!”, Spock whispered. “This sounds like a speech.”, Nyota said after a while. “I think the discussion is about whether they should surrender to the Romans. Their Celtic is very hard to understand.”, she added. Spock leaned forward to get a look at the scene. What seemed like the whole village was gathered, with several people in the middle of the circle that had been formed. When he inched further even more, he thought that his heart would stop. There was Kirk, inside one of the houses, seemingly listening to what was said. “Kirk is on the other side of the village.”, he told Nyota.

Nyota and Spock made sure that nobody was watching, before hunching down and running inside the house as fast and silent as possible. Kirk stared at them; mouth wide open. “You?”, he asked. “We are here to rescue you.”, Spock explained. “Great job, then.”, Kirk replied, definitely sounding ironic. Slowly, the other two turned around. Two barbarian warriors were pointing their spears at them, and Scotty stood there as well, his face saying ‘are you serious?’.

They were led out into the open, and Kirk believed that he had finally found his end. They were forced to kneel down. “Please don’t hurt them! They just wanted to rescue me, they’re innocent.”, he shouted at the warriors, not hoping for anything. The next moment, he heard Nyota translate what he had just said. She had learned the language when they had been stationed in _Gallia_ , Kirk remembered in his agitated state of mind. Kirk saw the first sword directed at Spock’s neck, and without hesitation, he reached out and grabbed the man, pressing his body against him. “No!”, he growled and sobbed. He hugged Spock tighter, who had been unresponsive for the last few moments. Kirk made himself ready for the last and devastating blow. And then, there was nothing.

When Kirk opened his eyes again, he saw that the warriors had moved away from them. Slowly, he let go of Spock. But the other was still clamped to him. “Thank you, James.”, he murmured. Kirk nodded, and they stood up together. Nyota was already on her feet, and all three of them continued to look around in confusion. There seemed to be some sort of vote going on, with the people in the middle of the circle lifting their arms to a prompt. “They have voted yes on surrendering to Rome.”, Nyota translated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lentils with chestnuts:  
> (Cook the lentils.) Take a new pot and put the carefully cleaned chestnuts inside. Add water and a small amount of natron, and cook it. When it is boiling, put in a mortar: pepper, cumin, coriander seeds, mint, rue laser root and pennyroyal and grind it. Mix it with vinegar, honey and liquamen, add more vinegar if needed, and pour it over the boiled chestnuts. Add oil and boil it again. Stamp it like you do in a mortar. Taste: if something is missing, add it. Serve it in a bowl and put green oil over it. (Apicius, De re coquinaria, Liber V, II)


	3. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happened afterwards, including a happy end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On shoe-horning an alien into a Roman AU:  
> Gladly, antiquity seems rather forgiving in this manner. The world was still endless and mostly unexplored, and people with green blood and pointy ears are just another curiosity (see people with faces on their chests and gold-digging ants the size of dogs (thank you, Herodotus)).  
> Because I didn't want to change Spock's personality, I decided to give him a classical education. it was the usual procedure for the Roman Emperors to demand the children of local sovereigns as hostage and to raise them in Rome. They would, however, return to their homeland when their parents died (Spock somehow avoided that). To account for all the "no emotions, all cold rock"-part of him I made him a Stoic, a school of philosophical thought that was probably inspiration for Vulcans anyway (Stoics invented logic, after all). And there goes the Stoicism-Vulcans connection that I wanted to make since I first learned of it.  
> Also, he's Pannonian because that part of the world was conquered just in time for him to be of the correct age for this story. I like imagining a Roman citizen Amanda Grayson somehow ending up there.

“Can you explain to us what the _medicus_ told you?”, Kirk asked Nyota when they were sitting around a nice and hot campfire. It had proven well that Nyota had brought supplies. “Just before they threw us out of the village?”, Nyota asked back. Kirk nodded. “I think he told me that it was a test and that we succeeded it. He also said something about you two.”, Uhura said and looked over the fire at her two companions, being exactly zero feet apart. “What was that?”, Spock wondered. “He described you as ‘tela’ or something. I have never heard this word before.”, Nyota replied. “I wonder what it means.”, Kirk said. “I sure don’t.”, Nyota responded and downed her spiced wine. The two non-Stoics laughed.

Later that night, Kirk found himself with two bodies leaned against his. He didn’t know if they were going to be lauded or disciplined for what they had done. But at least, they were together. Kirk looked up at the night sky that could be seen through the treetops. The gods looked down at him, in all their shiny glory. “What are you looking at?”, Spock asked lowly. “The stars.”, Kirk murmured back, taking Spock’s hand in his own. “Do you think me dreaming of walking between them is _hubris_?”, he wondered. Spock thought for a moment. “I do not. I share the same dream.”, he replied. “I think someday, somehow, somebody actually will.”, Kirk said after some silence. “I am certain of it.”, Spock agreed.

Something next to them growled deeply. Kirk snapped his eyes open. The fire had almost completely died, and it was dark in the forest. There was an animalistic shape in front of them. “Is this a boar?”, Nyota asked too calmly for the situation. “It is.”, Spock agreed. All three of them jumped up, only to realize that that might not have been the best of ideas. “Run!”, Kirk shouted, and took off, Spock at his side. Kirk jumped onto the next tree, and pulled Spock after him. They sat in the treetop and looked down at the boar that grunted at the base of the tree’s trunk. Where is Nyota?”, Spock asked. “Wasn’t she right behind us?”, Kirk asked back. Spock shook his head.

It was only another few moments before a light flamed up in the distance. It came nearer and nearer, and then the boar squeaked and ran away. “Are you planning on coming down?”, Nyota asked. Slowly, the two men climbed down the tree. Nyota was holding a burning branch. “Thank you.”, Kirk said.

When the morning was finally there, they returned to the camp. They had retrieved Kirk’s armor the other day, and now he was just missing his shield and _gladius_. They came to the east gate, and stopped in front of it. Sulu and Chekov were standing guard. “ _Centurio_!”, Chekov said, surprised. Good day.”, Kirk replied. “We are not allowed to let anybody in.”, Sulu admitted. “I will take the blame.”, Kirk said, his tiredness showing. Chekov and Sulu glanced at each other and immediately moved aside. “Thank you.”, Nyota responded, gladly.

Later, Kirk found himself asleep in his bed, curled up to Spock. He had seen Macoiterius, and he had scoffed at the barbarian’s handiwork, as expected, but left it on, since it seemed to help. “Don’t you dare disappearing like that!”, he had grumbled, and Kirk hadn’t known what to respond. “Your _Optio_ was going crazy without you.”, Macoiterius had said next, and Kirk’s forehead wrinkled. “Are you talking about Spock?”, he had asked, not knowing what to think. “Of course, I am. He is practically your Patroclus. He even sacrificed to _Fortuna_ before leaving to search for you.” Macoiterius’ words had left Kirk wondering. Did Spock really like him that much? After a while, he succumbed to the fact that his friend had spoken the truth, even though Kirk was still fazed.

A horn sounded outside the tent. Nearly startled to death, Kirk and Spock sprang out of the bed. Gladly, they had left their clothing on, and so it was only the capes that they had to put on. When they walked out of the tent, they found that the _Legatus_ and his entourage were standing outside. “Are you _Centurio_ James Tiberius Kirk and _Optio_ Spock?”, the _Legatus_ asked. “We are.”, Spock agreed. What was this about? “For your outstanding deeds beyond the call of duty, you are hereby both awarded retirement from the army, with all that comes with it.” Kirk first stared at the man, then at Spock. “Fortuna dotes us, as it seems.”, Spock said. Kirk nodded slowly. “Please come with me, friend.”, Kirk said, without even thinking. “I shall James, I shall.” From the corner of his eye, Kirk could see Nyota beaming with happiness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Believe it or not, this is the end of this short-story. Thank you all for reading until here. And also a big thanks to the organizer. I liked how professional you were.  
> And before I forget it: Formal retirement from the army comes with a shiny inscripted tablet and the Roman citizenship. So, win?

**Author's Note:**

> At this point also a whispered greeting (very AMSR, I know) to everyone else who reads this. Got you! If you have any questions about anything, if you want to ask me for recipes, or if you simply want to roast my drawing skills (I used the good crayons, the ones with the ponies on the box!) then please be welcome to the comment section.


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